Prison term for HGV driver who smuggled tobacco, drugs and knives

Ashleigh Wight
May 8, 2017

 

A truck driver who was caught smuggling tobacco, drugs and knives through Dover Eastern Docks has been sent to prison for three years.

In October last year, Border Force officers stopped a truck driven by Arpad Levente Jeddi and discovered 880kg of hand rolling tobacco in the trailer, worth an estimated £174,328 in evaded excise duty. The tobacco was hidden amongst festive paper bags.

A search of the cab discovered 81 grams of amphetamine, with an estimated street value of £1,300, and seven knives – one with an 11 inch blade. A CS gas canister was also found in the truck.

The Hungarian driver was also carrying six grams of cocaine, worth an estimated £600, and a lock knife.

Jeddi was arrested at the scene and charged with 12 offences, and was remanded in custody.

The charges included fraudulent evasion of excise duty; importation of a prohibited weapon; a firearms offence (in relation to the CS gas canister); importation of a class A drug; having an offensive weapon; and seven separate charges of having a bladed article.

He pleaded guilty to 11 of the charges at Canterbury Crown Court on 18 April, and was sent to prison for three years.

He had already admitted importing the amphetamine at a previous hearing in November.

About the Author

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Ashleigh Wight

Ashleigh is a former news reporter for Commercial Motor and Motor Transport and currently the editor of OHW+ and HR and wellbeing editor at Personnel Today.

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